Forest Friends Forest School:
a nature-based educational program for ages 3-5

When children have uninterrupted play in Nature, something magical happens that transforms their spirit, their mind, and their body.

Our Guiding Philosophy:

At Oakview Farm Forest School, we strongly adhere to the belief that all children deserve opportunities to connect to the natural world in order to strengthen relationships, cultivate compassion, and spark boundless creativity.

Forest School:
Where Children Thrive in Nature

Forest Schools developed from the ideas that children thrive when given access to the natural world. The first formal Forest School was developed in Denmark in the 1950's, with a focus on a child-centered, emergent approach to learning, with teachers serving as facilitators in children's learning. The core belief that "play is children's work" and that the natural world is the best "first teacher" of children laid the groundwork for the Forest School philosophy we follow at Oakview Farm Forest School.

Forest School Curriculum

A strong sense of place comes from a deep connection to the land, our woods and fields of the farm.

Developing a deep connection to a place relies on paying attention to daily and seasonal changes, such as:

The wildflowers and grasses growing in the meadows and pastures in late May.
The leaves of the Shagbark Hickory trees budding out in April.
The wild turkey population taking its seasonal migration across the land in October.

Developing curiosity and delving deeply into their own questions about the world are integral components of our Forest School program.

Children have the freedom to observe, and then ask questions about what they observe.

Teachers lead children to find answers by conducting investigations and experiments, doing research, and asking related questions, all while collaborating with their peers.

At Oakview Farm Forest School, we believe that every child should have opportunities to explore, interact, and learn from the natural world.

Children in our program learn by questioning, seeking answers to their questions, collaborating with peers and adults, and having repeating and sustained interactions with the natural world.

Children's learning emerges naturally, but this learning is not happenstance. It is carefully curated at the hands of Forest School teachers, who guide and sustain the learning process.

2025-2026 Forest School Calendar

We follow Rutherford County Schools

for vacation closings.

Below are the dates Forest School will NOT operate:

September 1: Labor Day/No School

October 6-10: Fall Break

October 22: Teacher Inservice and Work Day/No School

November 24-28: Thanksgiving Break

December 22- January 2: Winter Break

January 5: Teacher Inservice and Work Day/No School

February 16: President’s Day Teacher Retreat Day

March 30-April 3: Spring Break